Before

Our house had undergone a loving, but shoddy, renovation back in 1971. The archways were false, the bricks fake. Lots of wood & that 70s feel to it. I loved the wood beams but the rest could go. The oodles of wood made the house dark and dreary. The sliding door was dated. It was time to lighten the house up and modernise it just a tad.

Kitchen before

Living room before

After

We loved an open plan look, so taking the wall out between the living room and kitchen/dining was the first step to letting in more light. We widened the space where the sliding door was slightly to add louver windows either side of wooden doors. Here is what the open plan kitchen/living room looks like now:

A few people have said to us that they went to the open inspection when our place was on the market and they just thought that there was no hope for the house. Just too much to be done to it and no idea of what they could do with it. It was the biggest compliment when a friend congratulated us on our sense of vision. We knew this house had potential. We loved the location, how small it was and simply the challenge. It has been a long process, but it sure was worth it.